Rebirth
by Nutmeg44
Summary: Ginny Weasley thought her life was going well, until the day Harry kicked her out. What will happen when she has a surprising saviour? AU- Not Epilogue compliant.
1. When The Rug Gets Pulled

**Disclaimer: **A general disclaimer is on my profile page but this is for this story. **Anything you recognize probably doesn't belong to me, I just don't remember who originally said it. All rights belong to the original Author, Singer/Songwriter/Actress/Film etc. There is no intention to profit from the posting of this story. It's all done for idle fun and your reading pleasure. **

NB. This is the only disclaimer this story will have. All subsequent chapters follow the same principle.

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**Chapter One**

Ginny Weasley was homeless.

Well, for all intents and purposes she was homeless. Sure, she could always move back to the Burrow. Her parents would welcome her back with open arms, her room was always available and she would be safe. But _he _would be there often. So _there _was not where she wanted to be. She could always go to Ron and Hermione's but Hermione was never really her friend. Not really. And Ron was about as loyal to her during matters involving _him _as Percy was to the family during the war. She would find no sanctuary there.

So here she was, in the middle of the night, standing in the rain outside Colin's flat desperately trying to be heard over the near torrential downpour. The buzz of the door was faint in the rain but it was the best sound Ginny had heard all day. Colin was at his door to meet his waterlogged friend, as she climbed the three flights of stairs, with the most sympathetic look she had ever seen on the blond.

"Gin, what are you doing here? Why aren't you home with Harry?"

"Harry left me," was all Ginny managed to say before she dissolved into a puddle of tears.

"C'mere," Colin said, pulling Ginny into his tiny studio flat, closing the door behind them.

"I don't know what happened. I thought we were happy," Ginny finally managed, when her tears subsided and she got comfortable on Colin's lumpy settee. "We had a row, but that's normal, couples have rows all the time, and then out of nowhere he says he doesn't love me anymore and that this isn't working. I thought we were happy!" That was all she could manage before dissolving into another puddle of tears. With those words Colin headed to his small kitchenette to make the redhead a cup of tea.

"So you left?" Colin asked, while handing Ginny the mug of the steaming liquid. He desperately wanted to know how his friend came to be walking around London in the middle of the night.

In between hiccups and sniffles Ginny said, "He said I should probably find somewhere else to stay tomorrow, but I couldn't bear staying in that house with the person who had just ripped out my heart, for another minute. So I packed what I could and left, but I didn't know where to go. I needed somewhere I knew Harry wouldn't visit or I wouldn't accidentally run into him."

The two friends sat in silence for a while and the seconds slipped into minutes, with Ginny just sipping her tea and staring at the floor. Finally she looked Colin in the eyes and in a flat, dead voice that Colin would never have associated with his vivacious friend and asked, "Colin, what went wrong? Did I not do something? Was I not enough?" Again, Ginny was overcome with tears.

"Gin, it's not you. I don't know what the problem is, but it's definitely not you," Colin said, while pulling his friend into a deep hug. He could feel the sobs wracking her body and knew that this would not be an easy night for the redhead. Never before had he seen her seem so weak and fragile. She was always the one with the strength to take on anything, the one who, despite her five feet, five inch frame always seemed ten feet tall. Now she looked like a small child. He didn't like this look on her at all. But he couldn't fix her alone, he would need reinforcements.

"Gin, why don't you get out of these wet clothes and I'll make up the couch for you. We can come up with a game plan in the morning." Ginny nodded in reply, and moved towards the bathroom.

Seeing her so broken, Colin decided Luna would need to know about this. Luna was the best person to help him fix their friend. He would owl her in the morning.

* * *

Colin woke up much earlier than he should have considering the time he finally went to sleep, the sobs of his heartbroken friend keeping him awake much longer than he had expected. He couldn't imagine such a small person having so many tears to shed. Last night had made him realize that the Saviour of the Wizarding World was not all he was cracked up to be. On some level Colin had always known that. All through Hogwarts he had known that Harry wasn't a saint but he had no reason to think badly of him.

After Hogwarts, Harry had started enjoying his fame, even revelling in it. The Boy-Who-Lived had turned into someone more akin to Gilderoy Lockhart than the Harry they knew from his formative years, but even then he was generally pretty reasonable. This situation was making him rethink all he thought he knew about Harry. He couldn't begin to imagine what could have led to such an abrupt end to such a long and powerful relationship as that of Harry and Ginny.

They had been the poster couple for a functional relationship since Hogwarts. During the war they had taken a break for some noble reason regarding Ginny's protection but that was quickly rectified when the war ended. Then Harry had gone off to join the Aurors doing his save-the-world thing and Ginny had finished her last year at Hogwarts. But there wasn't a Hogsmeade weekend that didn't find Harry and Ginny together for the day. When she finally finished Hogwarts she had been accepted to start Healer Training and they had taken their relationship to the next level, with Ginny moving into Harry's London flat. All seemed well. During those two years it seemed that the Weasleys were finally going to get Harry as an actual son, not just honorary, then last night happened. It must have been some row for it to lead to this.

Looking over at one of his best friends asleep on his sofa with tear stains streaking her face, Colin knew he really needed to fix this – either getting to the bottom of what caused this almighty row and fixing it or helping her move on. Either way, he'd need reinforcements to get the job done. An early morning owl to Luna to arrange long-term housing for Ginny was the first priority. Colin's tiny little studio was not enough room for two – it was barely enough room for him.

After a quick owl to Luna, Colin went ahead making breakfast for himself and Ginny. The smell of coffee and the tapping of Colin's owl Warhol on the window woke Ginny from her fitful sleep and she was greeted to Colin with a big smile on his face and a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. After accepting the coffee, Ginny sat up and made some room on the settee for him to sit.

"I know you're not a morning person so why are you so happy?" Ginny inquired, in between sips from the mug.

"I just got Luna's reply. She says you can have her spare room for as long as you need it, since clearly there isn't enough room here. The space will give you a chance to clear your head, regroup and figure out what direction you wish to go in now. Besides, this is a studio, I seriously doubt you want to accidentally walk in on me in some compromising position with a lovely model…or two…or three," Colin replied, ending with a cheeky wink at the redhead.

Colin Creevey had taken his photography hobby from his Hogwarts years and turned it into a fairly lucrative occupation. He was a permanent staff member of _Witch Weekly _and was also frequently a freelance photographer for the _Daily Prophet_ and _The Quibbler. _It wasn't much of a salary but it paid the bills. What it lacked in cash flow it made up in experience and as a result Colin Creevey had one of the best portfolios of any photographer working in Britain. To be fair, Colin's humble living was largely due to his stashing away all his money to save for his very own photo studio. He had high aspirations; he just needed the right connection to make it work. At the moment, that was what he was lacking.

"Indeed, I've seen your scrawny bum enough times for one lifetime," Ginny smiled, while pulling him into a hug. "Thanks for breakfast, letting me crash here and generally sorting out my life. I love you more than seven fuzzy bunnies," she said, using the madcap terms of endearment they came up with in fifth year.

"I love you more than half a dozen supermodels," Colin returned.

"Now, I'm going to grab a shower and get out of your hair. I have lots to do. Maybe I can even talk to Harry."

"What are you going to do today?"

"I'm going to _The Three Broomsticks_, I have to talk to Madam Rosmerta about changing my hours. I need more money if I'm to support myself. Then I have to get the rest of my stuff from Harry's and move it to Luna's and defer my study for a year. I also want to talk to Harry, work out what went wrong and try to fix it. So I best be off."

"Gin, what if, for arguments sake, Harry doesn't want to get back together, what then?" Colin was concerned that Ginny might be getting her hopes up.

With a heavy sigh and an even heavier heart Ginny said, "I don't know, move on, I guess."

Colin's only response was to nod as he watched his friend retreat to the bathroom.

* * *

Ginny was sitting at a table at the back of the _Leaky Cauldron _nursing a cup of coffee and skimming through the want adverts of the _Daily Prophet_. She had gone to Madam Rosemerta at the _Three Broomsticks _and was told that her working hours could not be increased or extended so Ginny now needed to find another job. Her measly wages were fine when she was living with Harry and he was handling all their expenses, but now that she would have to maintain her own flat and expenses, it just would not be enough. She would now need to find a proper job. It was this reason that found Ginny pouring over the classifieds to seek now employment.

The lunch time crowd had just stormed in and the pub was swamped. Witches and wizards from all over Wizarding England tended to flock to the pub during their lunch break to sample the pub's culinary fare. It was not unusual for magical folk to stop in to the pub with the intentions of getting a take-away, spotting old and new friends and end up staying in the pub for hours. This was the kind of friendly, family style atmosphere that Ginny liked which is why she would spend extended hours of her free days sitting at a tiny table in the back and just 'people watch'.

Ginny was just smiling with a little girl with brown ringlets who was eating a lollipop the size of her head when the greetings and acknowledgements from many persons in the pub caught her ears over the din.

"Hello, Mr. Potter!"

"Greetings, Mr. Potter."

"Good day, Mr. Potter!"

"How do you do, Mr. Potter?"

"Good to see you, Mr. Potter."

Ginny's head snapped up involuntarily and her eyes immediately found the head of messy black hair. She was just about to raise her hand to try and gain Harry's attention when something or rather someone else drew her attention. Draped across Harry in a manner too familiar to be platonic was Tracey Davis – former Slytherin in Harry's year and his Auror partner. Ginny watched the scene unfold before her with barely concealed shock. From her vantage point at the back of the room she could see Tracey's arm placed gently in the crook of Harry's, she could see him addressing his admirers with a big grin on his face, saw how carefully he steered Tracey through the crowd towards the bar to place their lunch orders, how he placed his hand gently on the small of her back, then the delicate kiss he placed on her temple before she moved towards their table that the patrons had made available for 'The Chosen One'.

The redhead could feel her heart breaking as she bore witness to the reason that their relationship had come to an end so callously the night before. It was now clear that this affair had been going on for quite some time and that her planned visit to the Ministry for this afternoon would have been a wasted trip. With an empty hole where her heart used to be and her vision blurred by unshed tears, Ginny left the pub and made her way towards _Florean Fortescue_ – comfort food was in order before she could even think clearly enough to move the rest of her things to Luna's flat.

* * *

Ginny was still red-faced and puffy-nosed and hour later sitting at a small table in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream shop. Her peanut brittle sundae was a warm puddle of its former self and she was no closer to gathering her courage to start her life over. She was sure that while she would get the requisite sympathy from her parents and brothers, there would still be the side-eyed looks of pity and the underlying questions of what she did wrong to lose the wizarding hero. That was more than she could bear right now. Ginny was so caught up in her own pity party that she didn't hear the young woman behind the counter greet the next customer nor did she notice the man until he was standing right next to her.

"Weasley, can I sit here?"

Ginny looked up to see a much older, much more mature Draco Malfoy towering over her. He looked far more impressive than she remembered him being in school. Far more sculpted and chiselled, less pointy and pale. The years since they left Hogwarts had certainly been kind to the blond.

"Umm…what? Why?" Ginny had barely been able to mumble her question in between sniffles.

"Well, the shop is full and I only have about ten minutes to eat this treat before I have to head back to work and you are at the only table with an available seat. So I'm asking again, can I sit here?"

Looking around the shop Ginny confirmed that she was indeed sitting at the only relatively empty table. While she was hesitant to sit at a table with Malfoy, she had far too much on her mind to really pay attention to a trivial issue like next to whom she was sitting.

"Oh, um, yeah, sure, I guess." She mumbled her reply and went back to staring at her ice cream while Malfoy made himself comfortable in the vacant chair at the tiny circular table.

"So, what's the matter, Weasley? Someone kicked your crup?" At the sound of his voice Ginny turned to face the blond. She had expected to find him with the mocking smirk she remembered from school but instead she found what appeared to be genuine concern.

"Oh, uh, no I'm fine," she said, much too quickly to be genuine. Malfoy obviously noticed her lie because he just raised one disbelieving eyebrow at her while still eating his chocolate caramel sundae.

"No really. What's the matter, Weasley? You've obviously been crying." He continued spooning his dessert into his mouth.

"I'm fine, really." She still sounded unconvincing, even to her own ears. His raised eyebrow maintained its disbelieving position and with a heavy sigh Ginny confessed her situation to the enemy of her family.

"Fine! I've lost my job, my house and my boyfriend. I've hit the proverbial rock bottom and if it wasn't for the charity of my friends, I'd be sleeping on the streets!" Her voice was a little louder than necessary and that was obviously not what the youngest Malfoy had expected her to say, judging by the unmasked look of surprise on his face.

"Right. Okay, I assume you split with Scarhead and he was the source of your living arrangements so that explains the housing situation but what about the job, why don't you have one?" He finished his sundae and turned to face her completely, his full attention focused on her. He didn't appear to be mocking, just curious, so that spurred on Ginny to explain further. There really was something to be said for venting your problems to perfect strangers – even if said stranger was her family's lifelong enemy.

"I used to work part-time at The Three Broomsticks while I studied to be a healer. I'm in my second year and all my wages were going to paying for school. Since I now have to provide for myself I tried to get a more full-time position but Madam Rosmerta didn't have one so I had to quit in order to find something more permanent. I deferred school for this year to sort my life out, hopefully get a job so that I can go back soon."

Ginny was having a hard time coming to terms with her current situation and the more she spoke was the more hopeless she felt and the harder it was becoming to keep back the tears.

"Okay, that covers job and school, apparently, but what about housing? Why don't you just go back home to your parents for a while? That has to be easier than whatever it is you're doing now."

"I can't go back there." The defeated tone of her voice was not something Draco ever remembered hearing in this particular Weasley. She was always the 'hex first, figure out an alibi later' type in school. Draco was so caught up in memories of Ginny Weasley during her Hogwarts days that he almost missed when she started speaking again.

"I can't take their pitying looks and whispered conversations about how I managed to lose _The Chosen One_ and sent him scurrying into the arms of that utter cow Davis."

Draco almost laughed out loud at the Weasley girl's description of his former housemate. For many years he and his friends had called Davis the exact same thing so it was funny to hear that the old school name still had merit. "So where do you plan to stay?" He finally asked.

"I'm staying with Luna and her fiancé Rolf Scamander until I figure something else out. At least I'll get no pity there." That much was true. Luna actually had a very low opinion of Harry in recent years, due in large part to his taking Ginny for granted and his revelry in the media spotlight.

"Look, Weasley," Draco finally said as he got up to leave, "I've really got to go, I'm already late for a meeting, but I think I can solve one of those problems. Come to this address on Monday at 9am and I'll see what I can do about your job situation." He removed a business card from his business suit pocket and handed it to her. "Oh, and for the record, don't think too much about Potter and Davis, those two half-bloods deserve each other." He was halfway across the room from a very stunned, very confused redhead when he turned back to her and said, "And the ice cream works best when you actually eat it." With those parting words, Draco Malfoy, donning designer sunglasses, stepped onto the bright, busy street of Diagon Alley.

Ginny looked down at the card in her hand, the address indicating somewhere in Muggle London and wondered, _what the hell just happened_? She would have all weekend to worry about that but right now she needed to get her belongings moved into Luna's flat.

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_Thanks for reading. Please review!_


	2. Finding One's Feet

Thank you for the kind reviews/favourites/alerts. They are greatly appreciated. Hopefully this story lives up to your expectations and I can hear more of your thoughts.

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**Chapter Two - Finding One's Feet**

Ginny's weekend flew by with unexpected ease considering the events of the week before. She had managed to move all her belongings out of Harry's house that Friday afternoon while he was still at the Ministry with that cow and had gotten herself unpacked and settled in Luna and Rolf's spare room. Luna had informed her that Rolf was currently on an expedition in Peru and would most likely not be home for weeks.

Ginny and Luna spent their weekend chatting, laughing, crying and bonding. Ginny told Luna everything that happened the previous week - the constant rows she and Harry would have, the break-up, seeing him in The Leaky Cauldron with Tracey Davis and being offered a job interview by a very attractive Draco Malfoy. By the time Sunday night came along Ginny was a bundle of nerves and completely anxious about going to work for Malfoy the next day. She had no idea what to expect from working for and with Malfoy but her sleepless night did nothing to quell the anticipation. Then again, her working for a Malfoy was completely dependent on her acing the interview.

* * *

As it turned out, what Malfoy had said in Fortescue's that afternoon was not actually about a job interview but about an actual job - Executive Assistant to the COO to be exact. So here was Ginny Weasley, suddenly Assistant to Blaise Zabini, Chief Operations Officer for MNZ Brokers and Investments, former Slytherin, and all-around sexy playboy. She now found herself working for not one but two Slytherins. First she lost The-Boy-Who-Lived, and then she got a job with alleged Death Eaters. Never mind the fact that Harry was now with a former Slytherin himself; that was beside the point. The Weasleys were not going to like this.

Ginny could not find it in her heart to complain, though. After being a waitress with no real marketable experience she was basically handed a job that paid so well that it not only afforded her a means of supporting herself and being able to move out of Luna's flat far sooner than she expected but she was also making enough money to be able to finish her Healer training eventually. Things were beginning to look up. It also didn't hurt that Mr. Zabini (or Blaise as he preferred her too address him) was quite charming and amiable. He was hardly ever unpleasant or miserable and liked to make jokes and prank the staff, especially his partners and best friends Draco Malfoy and Theo Nott. In a way he reminded her of Fred and George.

The job, Ginny soon discovered, was a lot more enjoyable than working at _The Three Broomsticks._ As Blaise's Assistant, she was in charge of his calendar and schedule; she wrote letters and other important correspondence, scheduled meetings and appointments and did filing and other administrative duties. Ginny got to work in a nice, tidy office space behind a very posh desk. No more drunken men with wandering hands or grouchy hags who didn't leave tips. Her desk was in a very spacious suite just outside Blaise's office on the sixth floor. The office had a very modern décor of clean lines and a black and cream colour scheme. Blaise, it seemed was very fond of leather because all the chairs and accents in the otherwise cream room were rich black leathers. The only additional touches of colour were in the paintings and wall hangings. They featured abstracts with deep reds and turquoise. The room was very well appointed and Ginny could feel her spirits lift just from being in the room.

Blaise's office wasn't the only room that led off of this main room, though, as Ginny soon found out. Blaise's double doors were directly across from her desk but there were three other doors leading off the main room. The first, directly to the left of Blaise's office was a small meeting room. She supposed it was used for important meetings that were too official for Blaise's office. She was told it was a small meeting room by Draco's Assistant, Annette but to Ginny it looked more like a conference room; small was definitely not a word that came to mind. The next door was an exquisite washroom. Ginny knew this loo was for her use as well as the guests because there was already an executive bathroom in Blaise's office for his personal use. The final door was a small kitchen. Although, there was a team of house elves to handle cleaning and maintenance of the entire building and were more than capable of serving the refreshments, Ginny supposed she would be required to make and serve refreshments to Blaise and any colleagues, as it looked better to have an actual human being serving rather than a snivelling creature.

During Annette's tour, Ginny was informed of some of the day-to-day peculiarities and the general running of the sixth floor. Draco's office was through another door further down the corridor and that as Chief Executive Officer his office was similarly appointed but just a bit bigger. The Chief Financial Officer, Theodore Nott also had his office on the same floor but his was smaller than Blaise's. She was also informed that Blaise and Draco generally ate lunch together in Blaise's meeting room where they would also play games of Chess or Exploding Snap. Theo would have lunch with his wife but on occasion he would join them but they were usually alone. According to Annette, a very portly, maternal figure, not unlike Molly Weasley, Draco, Blaise and to a lesser extent Theo were all still big children in spite of the power and responsibility they possessed. Annette also mentioned that Blaise, while being a notorious womanizing playboy, maintained a strictly professional working environment and didn't fraternize with his staff so she assured Ginny that 'a pretty girl like you won't have to worry about any unwanted advances'.

Following the tour Ginny spent the rest of the morning getting acquainted with her new workspace. She familiarized herself with the filing system, figured out how to use the floo network to receive and transfer floo calls to Blaise's office and met some of the other key persons in the building including Theo's Assistant Margaret and his wife Pansy who was also head of Human Resources. By mid-morning Ginny was feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the changes but blissfully happy that her life seemed to be taking a turn for the better so she decided to treat herself to a cup of tea and some of the very expensive chocolate biscuits that were stocked in the small kitchen. Thinking Blaise would like a little mid-morning snack himself she made him a cup of strong black coffee, as Annette had mentioned was his preference, and a saucer of the same chocolate biscuits, and brought them to him. All in all, Ginny was greatly enjoying her new job and relished the challenge working for such a large and impressive company would bring.

* * *

At twelve thirty, Draco appeared at the door to Blaise's suite for his usual lunch with Blaise. Ginny was so preoccupied with the hunt for the McDonald file in the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet that she didn't notice the CEO until she heard the slight clearing of his throat and the crackle of the crips packet from which he was munching. So startled was she that she bumped her head on the filing drawer above her in her haste to stand.

"Settling in alright, Weasley?" Draco was still munching away on his Salt & Vinegar crips.

"Alright, but for the near concussion a minute ago." Ginny's quick reply brought a chuckle from the blond man.

"Good, good…good." Draco continued to lean against the door frame staring at the redhead.

"Although, I actually thought I was coming here for an interview, not an actual job – not that I'm not eternally grateful, I just thought I'd have to do more than just show up." Her rushed words just brought a smile to Draco's face and a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.

"Don't worry about it. Just don't screw up. Blaise can be a right drama queen when things in his life aren't going right, and as you can see, you're in charge of a great deal of his life now," Draco said, as he walked further into the lobby while continuing to munch on his crisps.

"I realized that." Ginny was now more intrigued. "Will I have to schedule his dates as well because I don't think I would feel comfortable doing that?"

"Why," Draco said, with a quirk of one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Think you'll be jealous of all his bed mates?"

"Not likely," Ginny replied with a rather inelegant snort. "If half of what is printed in the gossip rags is true then I'd need an Assistant with her own Assistant just to schedule, cancel and break up with his dates. That, my friend, is more than a full-time job, that's work for a whole department." Her note of finality on that topic amused Draco.

"So you aren't interested in dating Blaise the millionaire, businessman, playboy, bachelor?" Draco was standing a short distance from the desk Ginny was seated behind with his slate, penetrating gaze fixed on her face.

"No, definitely not. I don't think I want to date anyone for a while. Perhaps I'll sort my life out first before I bring someone else into it."

With a contemplative nod Draco continued, "And to be clear, you are no longer dating Scarhead and there was no freak reconciliation this past weekend?" His gaze was just as intense with this question as with the one before but he had taken a step closer to the desk.

"No. That is so over, it died and we had a quickie memorial." Her reply was snarky with just enough humour that it caused a slight smirk to play on Draco's lips.

"Good. Good. Very good." With that last remark, the smirk turned into a genuine smile.

Without saying anything else Draco walked over to Blaise's double doors and entered without knocking, leaving a stunned Ginny behind her desk. _Did Draco Malfoy just smile at me?_

So dazed was Ginny from that last encounter that she barely heard the conversation between Blaise and Draco. It wasn't until Blaise came out and told her to order lunch for three from the kitchen elves that she was pulled from her reverie.

* * *

The lunch was an interesting affair. The house elves seemed to spare no expense when it came to catering to their bosses. The eating habits of the two men tended to differ greatly causing the house elves to make different styles of food for each. Blaise tended to favour the lighter fare of French and Greek cuisine while Draco preferred the heavier foods of Britain and Italy.

For today's lunch, Draco was having a very scrumptious Spaghetti Bolognese while Blaise had a lighter Fakes. Apparently the kitchen elves were also mind readers because they somehow knew that Ginny was craving some amount of comfort food to settle her nerves on her first day in a real job and brought her a Shepherd's Pie.

Lunch with two Slytherins was an interesting but not altogether unpleasant experience. These two in particular were very comical and would frequently make jokes at the other's expense. They also frequently would try to one-up each other by rehashing embarrassing experiences in which the other was involved. One of Blaise's stories about Draco's antics during a trip to Mexico was so funny that it had Ginny spraying Pumpkin Juice over half the small meeting room.

"...And then after his drunken arse tried to kiss the woman in front of her husband, he then tried to buy the whole bar shots of Tequila to make up for it," Blaise was saying with a chuckle. "Obviously, that didn't work because it was three in the afternoon and no one was as drunk as him," another chuckle, "so they kicked us out of the bar. If it wasn't for my fast talking, we would have been arrested and charged with a 'Drunk and Disorderly'.

Across the table from Ginny, Draco was looking quite pleased with himself. With a smirk and a shrug he simply replied, "I don't remember any of it and it doesn't count if have to take Blaise's word for it. I trust him about as far as I can throw him." With that, the blond hit the darker boy with some of the Bruschetta he threw across the table.

When the lunch hour began nearing its end, Theo arrived to meet Blaise's new Assistant. Ginny vaguely remembered the blond boy from her time at Hogwarts. Unlike Draco, whom she knew from being the mortal enemy of her family; and Blaise whom she knew from the Slug Club as well as his astonishing beauty, Theo was more of a mystery. The tall, lanky boy with the sandy blond hair that Ginny remembered from school was, over the years, replaced by an attractively distinguished man who was more athletic in build. Clearly he placed more emphasis on physical fitness in his post-Hogwarts than he did in his formative years, but he still managed to retain the studious demeanour.

"You didn't tell me you hired Ginny Weasley," Theo started, looking at Draco when he joined the three at the table. "Malfoy, you sly dog, no wonder you kept Annette for yourself," Theo continued, while dropping a light punch on Draco's shoulder.

He then turned all his attention towards Ginny and continued, "You, Ms Weasley, should be made aware that Blaise has been without an assistant for about three weeks, ever since Maureen up and quit. We were all starting to wonder if Blaise would ever get a new Assistant – you see because he's such a picky drama queen – and Draco was even considering letting him have Annette since he far less picky and dependent. Then out of nowhere he shows up to our weekly pick-up Quidditch match announcing that he has found Blaise the perfect replacement, but he wouldn't give us name. At first we thought he was joking, but then the office gossip mill started on full blast this morning about Harry Potter's girlfriend being hired by Draco Malfoy to work for Blaise Zabini. You, Madame have caused quite a stir on the lower floors. When Pansy wouldn't shut up about how adorable, funny and charming you were, I just had to see for myself, so here I am, and let me just say this is likely the first time the gossip mill has been right." Theo ended his monologue with a charming smile.

"Why thank you, Mr. Nott, please call me Ginny. That is quite a compliment, but I must correct one point – Harry and I aren't together anymore."

"Really? That is interesting" Theo seemed shocked then pleased by Ginny's revelation. "So you're single? And please, call me Theo."

"Yes, I'm single. Why do people keep asking me that?"

"Have people been asking you a lot?" It was Blaise who asked, before shooting a look at Draco.

"Well just Draco, but I guess I've been talking about my change in relationship status so much this weekend that it feels like lots of people," Ginny said, looking down at the table and not at the three men. When she finally looked up she found she was being stared intently by all three men. She was starting to feel like she was undergoing some weird Slytherin interrogation when both Theo's and Blaise's face broke into the brightest grin.

Finally Blaise broke the silence, "So I almost got Annette?"

"Yep, it's a good thing lovely Ginny here appeared or we'd all die of annoyance at hearing you complain about your packed social life and Malfoy complain about his sparse social life. That's what I call killing to birds with one stone. And what a fit stone she is – well done Malfoy!"

At that last comment, Ginny quirked a quizzical brow, "Am I missing something?"

It was Blaise who proceeded to offer an explanation. "You see, Ginny, we here at MNZ Brokers and Investments are very relaxed when it comes to inter-office romances. As long as these relationships don't interfere with work and productivity remains on the rise then we don't care who you date. Different people just have place different limitations on themselves in that regard. For instance, I don't date within the workplace – too complicated when things go bad – and -"

"And things usually go bad when you can't remember their names…" Draco interrupted.

"And Draco here rarely dates colleagues and never dates people who work directly beneath him," Blaise continued, looking completely unrepentant at Draco's interruption. "So that is why it is interesting that I didn't get Annette after all, otherwise, Draco would have had to hire you as her replacement and that couldn't work for him," Blaise ended.

"Why couldn't that work for him?" Ginny inquired.

"Haven't you been listening, Ginny dear? Then you would work directly for him and he couldn't have that." It was Theo who explained, much in the way you would explain something complex to a small child.

"But don't I work for him, anyway?" Ginny was trying to understand exactly what rationale the three Slytherins were using to explain the chain of command.

"Ahh, but that's where you're wrong. You work for me, and as delectable as you are, I have a strict 'no dating staff' policy." Blaise seemed slightly unhappy by that fact suddenly.

"Besides," Theo continued, where Blaise apparently left off, "You have been in an eternal state of 'dibs', as the muggles say. Even if Blaise wanted to break his own rule to date you he couldn't."

"Malfoy has liked you ever since you hexed him back in our fifth year; no one has been allowed to look at you since." Theo's comment shocked Ginny more than the smile Draco gave her earlier.

"We think he likes women who will punish him when he's a git," Blaise said to Ginny behind his hand, in a stage whisper. "Masochistic bastard," he continued, more loudly. This had Theo giggling like a loon and Blaise looking extremely pleased with himself.

For his part, Draco didn't seem the least bit embarrassed. On the contrary, he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "What can I say, I like strong women," before continuing to fix his intense, granite gaze on her face.

Soon enough, Theo departed citing a meeting with the Accounting Department and the remaining three continued their lunch. The conversation continued along the same vein occasionally interspersed with Draco making very pointed comments and thinly veiled innuendo towards Ginny. Between Draco's comments and Blaise's cheeky grin towards her every time Draco did something like that, Ginny was beginning to get the impression that Draco was making his intentions towards her known.

And boy was his messages being delivered. Granted, he seemed to be taking things slowly, taking into account her recent break-up, but there was no mistaking his end game - Draco Malfoy was interested in Ginny Weasley. Now if only she could figure out if it was a romantic interest or just plain sexual.

* * *

_Thanks for reading. Please review!_


	3. Dressing The Part

Thank you for the continued support for this story and for all the favourites/alerts/reviews. It is sincerely appreciated.  
To be honest, I'm nervous about this chapter. It was easy and stressful to write, all at the same time, and I still don't know if it came together well. Critique is always appreciated. Also, it isn't exactly beta'd so please excuse any SPaG errors you may find. Thanks.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Life continued in much the same way for Ginny over the next three months as it had on that first day at work. She got to work at eight, an hour before Blaise, in order to finalize his schedule for the day and get the office ready. He never scheduled meetings before eleven to give himself enough time to peruse documents and confer with subordinates. Ginny found that her corporate career to be very challenging in a way that left her with a sense of fulfilment.

Blaise seemed to be satisfied with her performance and after the first month they had a finely honed system with which they functioned – when he arrived, it was to a large cup of black coffee and a cheddar dill scone sitting on a tea tray alongside his usual morning publications (_The Daily Prophet, The Quibbler, The Financial Times_). The 'In' tray on his side board held only what was absolutely urgent for that morning's meetings and the third drawer of his desk was restocked with packets of the dried fruit medley he preferred for snacking.

Early afternoons were still the same as before. Ginny would bring him another cup of coffee or a glass of pumpkin juice with a saucer of his favourite chocolate biscuits. Most days, work would end as early as four-thirty, but there were occasions when the Executive staff would end up staying late doing paper work – going over contracts and other documents. During these times Ginny tended to stay behind to assist where necessary; generally calling for dinner and reorganizing the office when they were finished for the night.

It also became the norm, after that first day, for Ginny to eat lunch with Draco and Blaise. At first Ginny was reluctant to join them on the second day when they had invited her, but her protests fell on deaf ears and soon it became commonplace to find the three of them eating in the small meeting room. Those times spent together went a long way to solidifying the growing friendship between the three. Ginny realized that interacting with the Slytherins was much like it was interacting with the Gryffindors when she was at school – they made the same crude jokes about girls…and each other; had similar arguments over quidditch and discussed the latest gossip.

The only real difference Ginny found was that their stories tended to have more exotic locations than those she heard in Gryffindor; tales of drunken parties in Ibiza and dancing girls in Morocco were far more alluring than beach holidays in Brighton and camping holidays in Cornwall. The gossip was far more interesting too, especially since the subjects of the latest bit of news tended to be the most notable names in the British and European pureblood society, who's every action, was splashed across the tabloid papers.

The developing friendship between Ginny and the Slytherins was not limited to working hours and after that first week most Sunday afternoons found Ginny on the grounds of the Malfoy estate playing pick-up games of quidditch with the three executives and their friends. Much to her surprise Ginny became particularly close to Gregory Goyle through these weekly games. He seemed to have taken on the role of protector for the petite redhead on the quidditch pitch, a role he seemed to be born for given his history as Draco's unofficial bodyguard at Hogwarts and relished as his more official title of Head of Security at MNZ suggested.

* * *

Three months after the horrible break-up, moving in with Luna and working at MNZ Ginny had still not had much contact with her family. Ginny determined that the estrangement was as a result of an argument between Ginny and her mum, Molly Weasley. One week after moving in with Luna, Molly had sent Ginny an owl asking her to come 'round for tea and a chat. When Ginny arrived at The Burrow it was to find her mother alone in the house, which was a rarity since Ron and Hermione tended to spend an excessive amount of time there even though they lived elsewhere. The tea had started out mellow enough with Molly updating Ginny on all the grandchildren and the progress of her herb garden and vegetable patch but soon turned contentious when the subject of Harry, her new job and current living arrangements came up.

"Mum, he dumped me, what did you want me to do, hang around and beg?"

"Ginny, you could have talked to him; perhaps it was something that could have been worked through. Maybe a break-up wasn't his intention. You shouldn't have just given up, dear," Molly's tone was moving from polite to patronizing and Ginny wasn't sure she could stand it.

"Mum, he made his intentions very clear when he said I could stay the night but collect my things in the morning. I'm not sure what else you wanted me to get from that but a break-up!" Ginny's own reply was significantly louder than before and she was trying not to say something really disrespectful to her mother.

"Perhaps he just wanted a bit of space. Men need their space, dear. Maybe you were just crowding him. There was no reason for you to leave. And to go to that Lovegood girl no less, you could have just come here; you know you are always welcome." Molly was starting to sound as high-handed as Hermione. Ginny was beginning to think they were spending too much time together.

"This conversation is making it very clear that I would not have been welcome in your house. _He _breaks up with me and it is somehow my fault." Ginny was finding it difficult to look at her mother, and the tears that had stemmed over the course of the week thanks to her friends and her new job, were beginning to flow freely again.

"Well honestly Ginny, he wouldn't have broken up with you if you hadn't done something. Harry is a dear boy who wouldn't do anything like that."

"So I suppose that cow Davis had nothing to do with his decision, then," Ginny snapped, her sadness turning into righteous anger and indignation. She could not believe her mother would say such things to her.

"Well can you really blame the boy? His girlfriend walked out on him. Of course he would seek comfort in a friend. He was heartbroken! He can hardly be faulted for that. And now you're working for that Malfoy boy. He won't want you back now." Molly's scornful sniff was beginning to grate on Ginny's nerves.

"I didn't leave him! _He_ dumped me! Why is that so hard for you to understand? I'm the victim here! Me! Your daughter! The way you're talking I wonder why you bothered to have a daughter at all! It's clear you just wanted sons."

"Oh, honestly Ginny, with the way you talk people would think we didn't want you." Silence stretched between them and Molly just continued sipping her tea.

Finally Ginny said, "I'm beginning to think you don't. I'm going to go, Mum. I'll talk to you another time," before getting up from the table.

"Alright dear, and try to fix this mess with Harry soon; his birthday is coming up and I'd like this business sorted by then," Molly said, not paying attention to the defeated tone to her daughter's voice, as she apparated away.

* * *

"Weasley, I need you to do me a favour."

Ginny was distracted from the contracts she was filing by Draco's voice. When she looked towards the door to the office suite, the blond was leaning casually against the doorjamb eating an apple. He seemed to be always eating something whenever Ginny saw him, which, over these last three months, had been often. Ginny wondered, not for the first time, how he managed to maintain such an amazing body with just weekly quidditch matches alone. The longer she stared at the blond the more mesmerized she became by him. He really was a fantastic specimen.

"Sure, Malfoy, depends on what it is and if I can actually do it," Ginny replied, while closing the filing cabinet with a push of her hip. Draco's eyes followed the movement as if he were in a trance. Apparently, she wasn't the only person mesmerized by the other person in the room.

Over the course of the last three months, not only had the lunches continued but so had the flirting. Draco made no mistake about his interest in Ginny, at least verbally, anyway. He was always flirting and his speeches continued to be laced with innuendo, but at no point in time did he make any physical advances. Ginny had taken to thinking that it was just innocent flirting with a platonic friend and colleague. He never made her feel uncomfortable while always managing to make her feel extraordinarily desirable and attractive.

The flirting was the balm that, above all others, went the farthest to repairing Ginny's fragile ego over the last months. Draco made her feel like a sexy, powerful woman. Not like the young, fragile, littlest Weasley. The looks of pure lust that crossed his face were the only indicators that perhaps his flirting was not quite so platonic after all. He always looked like a starving man at a buffet when he looked at her, especially after the first month when Luna took Ginny shopping for, as Luna called it, 'a corporate wardrobe befitting her new station in life'. At first Ginny was reluctant to spend so much money on clothes when she was for all intents and purposes squatting in Luna's flat, but Luna herself would hear nothing of Ginny paying her back. As far as Luna was concerned, and said so on more than one occasion, Ginny was in a process of reconstruction and as such needed to spend time rebuilding herself and to stop thinking of others. Besides, Luna believed that the 'Ginny Renaissance' was top priority and pesky things like bills could wait. Now though, Ginny could not have been happier about Luna's insistence on having gone shopping than she was now. As she watched Draco's eyes as he watched her, she sent a silent 'thank you' to the shop girl at _Twilfitt and Tattings _for encouraging her to buy the form fitting black pencil skirt she currently wore.

"I need you to be my date for the Ministry's Development of the Arts Gala this Saturday," Draco said, continuing to munch on his apple and walking further into the room. His eyes were no longer lust-filled but were now imploring her to say yes. "I wasn't supposed to go. It's actually Blaise's turn to go to the Ministry sponsored torture session but because he won the last quidditch match he got to pass it off to someone else and I drew the short straw."

"Oh. I've always wanted to go to that but never got the chance. Sounds like it could be fun but I don't have anything to wear to something that fancy."

"How is it you've never been? Potter gets invited every year. I figured you would be his 'plus one'," Draco said with a quirked, curious brow, trying to remember if he'd ever seen her there. He was now curious as to how Ginny had never been to that particular event since Potter had made it his duty to be seen there by everyone every year.

"I usually had to work at _The Three Broomsticks _and Harry never wanted me to change my shifts so I could get enough money to pay for Healer Training." Ginny's response had a hint of resigned disappointment in it that made Draco feel angry for some reason.

"But doesn't Potter have loads of money? Couldn't he just pay for your Healer Training? You were his girlfriend for years, after all." Draco was now trying to understand exactly what was wrong with Harry Potter.

"He could, I suppose, but he never offered and it's not in my nature to ask for something like that," Ginny said with a shrug. "He may be the wizarding hero and 'The Chosen One' but he isn't very kind or generous. For all he has been welcomed into my family over the years, and given our financial situation at the time, he never once offered anything; granted we wouldn't have asked or accepted but it would have been nice if he had offered. He is only generous if he thinks other people will expect him to be."

"But it's just money, and he's supposed to have loved you, right? Why wouldn't he want his girlfriend to pursue her career?" Draco was baffled, but not entirely surprised by Ginny's declaration. He had always known that Harry Potter was a lesser man but this was just more points adding to the list of confirmation. "No matter," he continued, "I'd be more than happy to have you as my 'plus one' and don't worry about the dress. Just go to this shop and pick something; Madam Flitter will be expecting you." He tossed his apple core into the bin next to her desk and wrote a Hogsmeade address on the back of the business card he pulled out of his trouser pocket.

"And how will I pay for this 'plus one' gown?" The smirk and quirked eyebrow Ginny had picked up from the Slytherins in the last few months made Draco give her a smirk in return.

"Madam Flitter knows to bill it to my account. I'll pick you up Saturday at eight at your place, Weasley." With that, Draco walked into Blaise's office (again without knocking) with a smug, self-satisfied grin on his face to inform his best mate rather loudly that Blaise needed to give his lovely Assistant the afternoon off so that she could go shopping, because she had a date on Saturday.

* * *

Madam Flitter was aptly named; the diminutive old woman couldn't seem to stay still. In the ten minutes since Ginny arrived in her extremely exclusive, stately Hogsmeade shop she had practically buzzed around the shop what felt to Ginny like a hundred times. She seemed to know who Ginny was and not from Draco flooing ahead with her appointment. On the contrary, Madam Henrietta Flitter, or Hettie as she liked to be called by friends, had been hearing of Ginny Weasley for years.

Apparently, during his formative years, whenever Draco was forced to accompany his mother on her shopping excursions, he was always doing imaginary shopping for Ginny. On one such occasion, while his mother was in the changing room, Hettie had asked him about the young lady that he was imagining wearing the floor-length emerald gown that had him so entranced. His reply had been simple but heart breaking to Hettie, _"Just someone I'm not supposed to like."_ Since that day, Draco would always speak of Ginny to Hettie. For years she was the only human being that knew of his affection for the redhead; the only other living soul being his Crup, Loki.

Now here Ginny stood, on a small stand in front of a wall of mirrors, with a tiny woman with salt and pepper hair and far too many wrinkles, but the most cheerful disposition, simply buzzing around her. Hettie had already taken a few sample fabrics out for perusal and was brainstorming potential designs for Ginny based on hair colour, body type and complexion. In the end they chose a simple navy blue silk with added black sequined elements to the sleeveless corset sweetheart design. Ginny loved the design and honestly couldn't wait to walk into the Gala wearing it.

Ginny broke the silence of the draping and pinning to ask the questions that were niggling at her since she started speaking to Hettie.

"Madam -," Ginny began, but was interrupted by Hettie.

"Call me Hettie, dear, I feel as though I've known you forever."

"Sorry," Ginny blushed. "Hettie, why do you have your shop here instead of in Diagon Alley? Surely, London would bring you more business." Ginny felt nervous prying into the old woman's life but she really wanted to know.

"Few can afford my designs as it is and anyway, Diagon Alley is too close to Muggle London, dear - now don't give me that look," Hettie paused, when she saw the guarded, sceptical look on Ginny's face. "I have nothing against the muggles, I would just rather not have pay attention to where and when I use my magic. I'm a pureblood, magic is all I've known, it's as natural to me as breathing, I don't like having restrictions placed on where and when I can use it, and to be honest, I'm not exactly a spring chicken, dear, I'll forget," She ended, with a little chuckle.

Ginny was mulling over Hettie's words in her mind and was beginning to see the logic behind it. She was just having a silent chuckle at the idea of her own mother living in a muggle suburb and how completely absurd that idea would be when she heard Hettie speak again.

"I know you were an instrumental part in the recent war against that mad man and it has given you the idea that 'pureblood' is somehow dark and unclean, but that really is not the case, dear. Your own family have been purebloods for centuries and you are as light as they come. Darkness comes in all forms, poppet. Many people keep forgetting that You-Know-Who himself was a half-blood. There is no harm in embracing who you are and the history and culture that created you. Not all who belong to pureblood society have uncharitable feelings towards muggles, we would just rather interact with people who understand our world. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"But surely, halfbloods and muggleborns can relate to purebloods? They are in our world and understand the ways of magic. Why does pureblood society exclude them as well?" Ginny was now genuinely interested in the insight into pureblood society that Hettie was providing and she was hanging on her every word.

"You would think that, wouldn't you dear? But really there are things about our world that even the most learned muggleborn wouldn't understand. Think of the oldest forms of magic that you grew up hearing about, the magic that is neither light not dark, it just simply…is. Muggleborns still believe these forms of magic are myths and legends. They are too closely connected to the muggles and the ideas about magic that the muggles have to truly understand and connect with the root of magic. Perhaps in a few generations the muggleborns of today will be the ancestors of new magical lines that will be better in tuned with their magic to accurately understand magic, but for now they are too new to the craft."

Ginny thought about her words more as Hettie continued her pinning and draping and could honestly understand what Hettie meant. Ginny remember a few years ago when her mother mentioned the marriage betrothal that she had avoided by secretly marrying Arthur Weasley, and having to listen to Hermione's overbearing opinions about how archaic and patriarchal the idea of an arranged marriage was; not to mention the rants about blood magicks and how dark that kind of magic was. In truth, blood magic was neither light nor dark, it was just powerful and betrothals were just a way to ensure that the magical populations prospered.

When Hettie was finally finished, she collected Ginny's postal information to deliver her dress and informed her that she could come for her final fitting on Friday afternoon. She also mentioned to Ginny that Draco had booked a hair and make-up appointment for her with Pierre LeFey, the noted stylist to the wealthy. His shop was also located nearby on the Hogsmeade high street. As Ginny made her way towards _The_ _Three Broomsticks _to floo home, she began to notice for the first time that many of the noted members of the pureblood business populace kept their shops in typically wizard only communities. In all her years of working at the _Broomsticks _she had never really paid attention to the large wizarding community and she pondered the reasons behind her initial easy dismissal of the village. She also began to wonder if perhaps Pierre and some of the other proprietors in the village shared Hettie's views.

* * *

Later that night, Ginny was lounging in Luna's sitting room with Colin. Luna had just gone to the kitchen to clear away the Chinese takeaway containers and get the ice cream from the freezer while Ginny was giving a recap of her day.

"So you're going on a date with Malfoy? " Colin was nibbling on his last egg roll, staring up at Ginny from his reclined position on the floor.

"It's not a date, Colin. He just asked me to do him a favour."

"But didn't you tell us that he's been flirting with you since you started working at MNZ?" Luna's comment was slightly muffled by the spoonful of ice cream in her mouth, as she walked into the room.

"It's just friendly flirting, he isn't being serious." Ginny gave an exasperated sigh and flopped back onto the settee cushions.

"From what you said, it sounds like Malfoy has been talking to Madam Flitter about you for years; that hardly sounds like the actions of someone who is only 'friendly flirting'," Colin had just taken a scoop of the ice cream directly from the carton. Luna had not brought any bowls for the ice cream, just the carton and three spoons.

"If that's the case then why hasn't he made any sort of move towards asking me out in all the time that we spend around each other. I mean, we eat lunch together every day, eat dinner together some nights and play quidditch together – sometimes on the same team, every weekend. It's not like he hasn't had more than enough opportunity!" Ginny's volume has risen considerably during her little monologue, leaving Luna looking at her strangely and Colin barely holding in his laughter.

"I think it's the flutterby fleas, it's their mating season," Luna whispered to Colin behind her hand.

"It sounds to me like you _want_ him to ask you on a real date." Colin was looking at Ginny with a scrutinizing eye. "Does Ginny Weasley fancy CEO heartthrob Draco Malfoy?"

Ginny's blush would have been a dead give-away but she was saved from answering Colin's question by an insistent pecking at the window. All three heads turned to see one of MNZ's eagle owls. Rushing to the window, she let in the owl, expecting that it was carrying a note from Blaise about a last minute scheduling change before it dashed off to deliver the most exquisite bouquet of purple tulips Ginny had ever seen, to whichever girl Blaise was currently seeing. Instead the owl flew towards the coffee table, deposited the bouquet and a letter next to the ice cream carton before turning and flying back through the open window.

The note, as it turned out, was not from Blaise as Ginny had expected, but from Draco.

_Ms. Ginevra Weasley,_

_This stands as a formal invitation to be my date for the Ministry's Development of the Arts Gala to be held at the Ministry of Magic Ballroom on Saturday July 15 at 8PM. Dress code is Formal. I will collect you at 8PM (we will arrive fashionably late, of course) from the Lovegood/Scamander residence._

_Additionally, as Theo says it is the polite thing to do, it behooves me to inform you that I am officially declaring my interest in pursuing you romantically - throwing my hat into the ring, as it were. I have given you time and space to recover from the break-up with Potter but that time is over now. This Gala will stand as our first official date. Let the courting begin!_

_-Sincerely,  
Draco Malfoy_

_P.S. Enjoy the flowers, I know they're your favourites. _

Draco Malfoy wanted to pursue her romantically. Ginny could hardly prevent her jaw from dropping to the floor. Instead, she just looked towards her two best friends who sat silently watching her read the letter. Luna had plucked a tulip from the bouquet and was twirling it like a baton between her index finger and thumb while humming an unknown tune. Colin was staring at Ginny curiously. Finally he said, "Well, what does it say?"

"Draco Malfoy has just formally asked me on a real date to the ball."

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_Thanks for reading. Please review!_


	4. Belle of the Ball

**A/N** So sorry for the long wait. I had some other writing obligations that had strict deadlines, but those are over now. Big thanks to _**Sw33tCh3rryP13**_ who generously agreed to beta this chapter, then proceeded to hold it hostage until I finished my other writing obligations. It was exactly what I needed to get over my writer's block. ^_^  
Brilliant thanks to _**AirmidM**_ for her generous loan of Anthony Goldstein's _Cerridwen's_. If you don't know her stories, you should go check them out (I especially love the DGB ones).

Also, huge thanks to everyone who reviewed/alerted/followed since the last update! The support and feedback goes a long way to making the writing better. As always, please continue to let me know your thoughts - what you like and dislike - and I will do my best to make improvements in future chapters.

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**Chapter Four - Belle of the Ball**

The morning of the gala dawned with a nervous Ginny staring up at the ceiling of her bedroom at Luna's flat. In a few short hours she would be attending an important Ministry Gala as the official date of Draco Malfoy. That was the part that was making her the most nervous – being Draco's date. Yes, her last major formal event had been the Victory Ball on the anniversary of the war but that had been with Harry and all of her family and friends. This was with strangers and she would be on her own… as Draco's date.

They had been spending more time together in the months that she had worked with MNZ but there were always other people around to act as a buffer. This time, it would be just the two of them. What would she say to him? What would they talk about? Admittedly, Ginny hadn't thought it through completely when she had accepted his invitation but now that the Gala was approaching and the date loomed she was finding it difficult to remember why she agreed in the first place.

Another complication was that Harry, and no doubt _Tracey,_ would be there as well, considering this was one calendar event that he never missed. It would be the first time that they would knowingly be in the same room together and she didn't know if she was ready for that. Furthermore, she would be there as the date of his arch-nemesis. Ginny had to stifle a giggle when she thought of what Harry would say when he saw her on Draco's arm. A part of her - the vindictive, spiteful part - was somewhat looking forward to seeing the look on his face when he saw them. But another part of her was afraid that being in the same room with Harry would bring back all the old feelings, as well as the feelings of the night of the break-up when he had trampled all over her heart in favour of Tracey.

As the dawn's light broke through the window curtains Ginny determined that sleep had abandoned her and decided to make some breakfast for herself and Luna. A few hours later, as Ginny was sipping the last of her third cup of tea and reading the _Weekend Prophet, _four owls arrived delivering her gown from Madam Flitter. In all her early morning worries about being Draco's date and seeing Harry, Ginny had completely forgotten that the best gown she had ever seen was being delivered that morning. As she lifted the lid on the box, Ginny gasped in awe at the masterpiece she was to wear tonight. The navy blue and black sequined creation was divine and in a split second all of Ginny's insecurities about the Gala went right out the window. She now honestly could not wait for tonight. With a new spring in her step and some new-found confidence, Ginny got ready for her morning of beauty at Pierre LeFey's Salon.

* * *

Following Ginny's appointment at Pierre's LeFey's Salon she had a lunch date with Colin to catch up on the happenings of the last week. They agreed to meet in Hogsmeade at Cerridwen's, a café owned by Hogwarts alum Anthony Goldstein and frequented by the pureblood elite and the who's who of the wizarding world.

In the late afternoon Ginny waltzed into the café about ten minutes late to see Colin sitting in one of the plush arm chairs on the patio. She supposed he sat in view of the main doors to prevent her from having trouble spotting him. She made a beeline for her friend and literally plopped into the plush chair across from him, smiling from ear to ear.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, Col," Ginny said, as she picked up the second menu that had appeared on the table. "Pierre took a bit longer than expected because he wanted to try a few styles with my hair before he committed to this one." The petite redhead was still breathless, but her breathing was slowly going back to normal.

"That's alright, Gin," Colin replied. "You look fabulous, by the way," Colin continued, as he gave his friend the once over. Her auburn hair was styled in an elegant up-do with some black gem accents dotted around the crown to give the impression that she was wearing a diadem. Her makeup was a light smoky-eye with glossy lips and accented cheekbones. All in all, Colin thought his normally gorgeous friend looked outstanding. "But aren't you afraid your hair and make-up with get ruined between now and tonight?" Colin glanced at his watch and realized that it was only half past two. The ball wasn't until eight, and that left more than enough time for disaster to strike.

"I'm not worried. Pierre used a charm of his own creation that set my hair and make-up until dawn tomorrow. Apparently, until then, this 'do is impenetrable," Ginny said, with a satisfied smirk. A few moments later, a server arrived to take their order and Ginny ordered a pear and bleu cheese panini while Colin ordered a shepherd's pie. When the server left, Colin just sat back in his seat and gave Ginny a knowing smirk.

"What? Do I have something on my face?"

"Someone's palate sure has gotten refined since she started spending her time around the snakes." Ginny noted that Colin was wearing a smirk that was more amused than accusing, so she felt comfortable enough to tell the truth.

"I had it at work. It was a lunch time recommendation of Draco's when he got tired of hearing me order 'peasant food' from the elves. Do I sound pretentious?" The rising blush on Ginny's cheeks was almost completely hidden behind the make-up, but Colin could still see that she was a bit bashful about her associations with Draco and the other Slytherins.

"No, Gin. You don't sound pretentious, just worldly. It suits you." Colin's genuine smile and honest reply made Ginny feel better. This was why she liked her friends, they never judged.

"Good. Because I really like it! It's light but surprisingly filling; perfect for lunch." The childlike glee on the redhead's face while talking about her lunch selection could be compared to a little girl describing her new doll. Colin could only respond with a chuckle. The server returned not long after with their order, and the two friends dug into their meal. They chatted about inconsequential things while they ate, the minutes passing rapidly as the two friends laughed and joked.

"So how did you hear about this little café, anyway?" Colin gave the café's blue and white, Mediterranean décor and obviously expensive, polished, faux-distressed furniture a cursory glance before turning back to Ginny. He could see the blush rising again, and knew that this place was somehow related to Draco. The knowing smile graced his lips again as he waited for her answer.

"I heard Blaise and Draco talking about it. It's owned by a former classmate of theirs, maybe you remember him, Anthony Goldstein? He was a Ravenclaw prefect. They all run in the same circles… you know, privileged purebloods. Anyway, I heard them talking about entertaining clients here and thought I'd check it out. Do you like it?"

Colin looked around the café again, this time with a more detailed, artistic eye, noting the patio with its relaxed plush armchairs, low tables and magical overhang obviously designed to protect the patrons from the elements while still maintaining the outdoor atmosphere. The main interior room featured a rustic Mediterranean décor with more low tables, relaxed chairs and sofas dotted around the room. There was a bakery counter with a glass display case showcasing the pastries of the day. Double doors behind the counter obviously led to the kitchens, and an archway on the customers' side of the counter showed a corridor that Colin assumed led to the loos.

Turning back to his friend, Colin replied, "I do. It's obviously high-brow in that relaxed, 'we're-posh-and-going-on-holiday' sort of way. Might be a nice place to frequently patronize, gain a more affluent clientele for my photo studio. You know the kind of people I'm talking about…" He said that last bit with a cheeky wink at his friend whose only reply was to giggle.

Ginny was just about to comment when she glanced at her watched and realized the time. "Sweet Circe! Is that the time? I've got to go!" They had been sitting and chatting about inconsequential things for so long that Ginny didn't realize the time and now had to hurry if she wanted to do all of her pre-event preparations.

"But Gin, you already did your hair and make-up, what more do you need to do?" Colin asked, as he watched his redheaded friend flit about paying for their meals and gathering her belongings to leave.

"There are other girly things I need to do before tonight, Col, and I'm running out of time," Ginny responded, when she returned from paying the tab. "Are you staying?"

Colin looked around as more people filed in and out of the café, laughing and chatting with each other. "I think I'll stay, see if I can make a few customers, get a few contacts or at least get a few dates," Colin said, as he winked at Ginny again.

"You're incorrigible," Ginny countered, with a giggle before giving him a kiss on the crown of his head and turning to leave. "Okay, come by tomorrow for brunch and I'll tell you and Luna all about my night. Later!"

* * *

The afternoon flew by quickly, and before Ginny knew it, it was time for Draco to arrive. Luna was sitting in the lounge when the doorbell rang.

"Tell him I'll be right there," Ginny shouted, from the direction of her bedroom.

Luna simply smiled as she made her way to the front door. Draco was standing in all his cultured, aristocratic glory on the other side of the door when Luna opened it. Amongst the faded wallpaper, threadbare carpet and the flicking light fixture, Draco Malfoy, wealthy heir and lauded businessman, looked every bit the image of a fallen angel. He stood regally in a black Muggle tuxedo, crisp white shirt and polished black shoes. His hair, while considerably less gelled and stiff than during his formative years, was carelessly dishevelled in a way that suggested that it was accidental.

"Malfoy. Please, come in," Luna greeted, with a polite nod, before retreating to the lounge to return to the book she was reading.

"Lovegood." Draco replied, following the waif-thin blonde into the flat.

When Draco navigated the small flat to find Luna in the lounge, Luna looked towards the door as if surprised to find him there.

"Oh! Malfoy, Ginny says she'll be out in a minute." She blinked at him owlishly before returning to her book.

Draco had just begun looking around the lounge at the interesting - if rather eclectic - décor when Ginny appeared at the door. She looked stunning in the navy blue gown. The sweetheart neckline drew the eye to her décolletage and Draco was very happy that he had taken Hettie's advice and not gotten a necklace to go with her gown.

Earlier that week, Draco had visited the couturier to glean some idea as to what jewellery to get the redhead to perfectly complement and accent the gown. It was part of his plan to woo the former Gryffindor. He intended to wine her, dine her and completely spoil her to the best of his ability, which happened to be quite considerable. He had exquisite taste in gems, and intended to drape her in jewels as often as possible, but would refrain from traditional large diamonds because he knew the redhead would refuse them.

For this occasion, onyx, pearls and a smattering of white diamonds were the gems of choice, and seeing the redhead in the gown, Draco knew he made the correct choice. Approaching her, he removed the jewellery box from his inner jacket pocket and opened it, placing its contents within Ginny's view. Her pleased, startled gasp was Draco's indication that he had, in fact, chosen correctly.

"For you, Ms. Weasley." His offering was simple and straightforward. No preamble.

"Oh, I couldn't - It's too much. I couldn't possibly-." Ginny's mumbled refusal was silenced by Draco's strong hand delicately placing the black pearled bracelet around her wrist.

"Hettie recommended black jewels for such an exquisite dress on such an exquisite lady, and she was right. It's as if they were made for you." The sincerity in his voice and the gleaming pearls on her wrist soon had Ginny agreeing with Draco's assessment.

Walking over to the mirror above the entry table, Ginny replaced her simple faux-diamond earrings with the onyx drop earrings, feeling, for all the world, like a princess. Tonight was gearing up to be the best night of her life. Walking back into the lounge, draped in jewels more expensive than her entire family's combined income, Ginny approached the blond man.

"How do I look?" Ginny did a small turn when she reached Draco, before stopping to face him.

"Delectable," was his reply, as he gave her a delicate kiss on the cheek. Ginny felt him linger there, his pointed nose shifting to caress her jawline and inhale her perfume, before extending his arm for her to take.

"Shall we? Good night, Lovegood. Don't wait up." Ginny's only response was a brilliant smile. Tonight was sure to be amazing.

* * *

They had arrived just in time to do the red carpet walk with all the photographers before the gala began. Ginny was awestruck. She had never seen that many photographers in one place. They were separated from the red carpet by metal barriers and kept shouting the names of the people on the carpet, trying to get their attention for the optimal photo.

Ginny knew her face showed her complete panic at how to react in this type of environment, but when she looked at Draco, he had his composed, stoic mask firmly in place. He seemed right at home at these types of events, and Ginny wondered how many of these he had been to in his short lifetime. Her panic must have been palpable because he just pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her waist to rest on her hip in a clear sign of possession, and whispered in her ear.

"Relax and smile. It will be over in a minute."

As they moved further up the carpet, the paparazzi spotted Draco's trademark hair and went into a frenzy.

"Mr. Malfoy! Mr. Malfoy! Over here! Who are you wearing? Who is that on your arm? Is she your girlfriend? Who is she wearing?"

The paparazzi seemed to shout all their questions at once. Ginny was having a difficult time trying to decide where to look. Draco felt her stiffen in his arms at the attention, and gave her hip a comforting squeeze. Again he whispered, "Smile," before turning her away from him slightly so that her dress was on full display, sticking his free hand into his pocket, and pausing to allow the photographers to get their pictures. Ginny had just enough time to smile before the flashbulbs went off and they began moving up the carpet again. She knew that all those photos would show Draco wearing his trademark smirk, and for some reason that thought brought a genuine smile to her face.

The Ministry had really outdone themselves on the decorations. They had gone for the clichéd theme of "winter wonderland,_"_ if the icicles, snowmen and white fairy lights were anything to go by. Ginny could hardly contain her amusement. She knew a fair amount of galleons were spent to make the Ministry Ballroom seem like a winter paradise in July, but the tacky decorations were ridiculous. Unable to control her reaction Ginny spoke.

"Their decorator should be _Crucioed,_" she whispered.

"It's like this every year. Same ballroom, same decorator, different theme but same tacky décor," Draco said, with a chuckle. "It's part of the reason Blaise, Theo and I hate coming. We'd much rather send a big cheque and stay home than come and play nicely with people who hate us, but it's good for business. The food is usually good too." The cheeky grin that accompanied his last sentence brought a giggle to her lips. She was quickly realizing that Draco Malfoy loved food. It was kind of endearing.

"C'mon, let's go find our table," he said, steering her towards the seating area.

They found their table and took their seats. Dinner was served almost as soon as they were seated and Ginny absently wondered if Draco hadn't timed it that way to avoid socializing with the other guests. Again, this brought a smile to the redhead's face as she glanced at her date. He was Slytherin through and through, but was also surprising in so many new and refreshing ways.

As the night progressed, Ginny could honestly say she was having a wonderful time. During the dinner, the other guests at their circular table were very pleasant, the food was delicious, the wine was fantastic and her date was very attentive. He led a running commentary of who's who, and even more interesting, about the dirty secrets in their closets –- like the fact that the Head of International Magical Trading Standards Body was having an affair with his step-daughter from his second marriage to a certified gold-digger half his age. The speeches were long and tediously boring, given by people who had an overinflated sense of their own importance, and who loved hearing themselves speak, but the reassuring hand caressing Ginny's lower back kept her suitably distracted. When the business portion of the evening ended, Draco stood from his chair and extended his arm.

"May I have this dance?" His charming smile had Ginny forgetting how to speak and barely managing a nod in response.

He swept her onto the dance floor to glide to the delightful sounds of the string quartet that had taken residence on the raised platform. Draco pulled Ginny close, almost indecently so, his hand resting scandalously low on her back while his other hand held hers gently as he twirled and spun her to the music.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Ms. Weasley?" His eyes were glued to hers and it was as if everyone else in the ballroom disappeared.

"I am, very much, Mr. Malfoy. Thank you for asking." The note of surprise was not lost on Draco.

"You seem surprised." It was a statement, not a question.

"I am, to be honest. You have been very courteous and attentive. I'm not accustomed to seeing this side of you. You have managed to make me feel comfortable in a setting that I'm clearly not used to."

Ginny had broken their eye contact during her speech, feeling slightly embarrassed, and was now staring at an imaginary point over his right shoulder. Holding her chin between his thumb and forefinger he brought her gaze back to his before speaking again.

"Good. It means it's working." His cheeky grin was back again.

The awkwardness of the previous moment deflected, Ginny ventured into this new course of the conversation.

"What's working?"

"My charms. I'm wooing you, remember. I wouldn't be successful if you were uncomfortable being around me, especially since I intend on spending a lot of time in your presence." His gaze was burning into hers and Ginny could see something there that caused pleasant sensations to run through her body.

Her body's reaction surprised her, having never felt that way from just a look alone. The feeling brought a pleased smirk to her face before she replied.

"Who says it will work? I could be immune to your charms and advances," She ventured, a sly look on her face.

"You aren't. It's already working. Besides, you like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life." The smouldering look he sent her sent a shiver down her spine. He noticed, and just pulled her closer to whisper in her ear.

"I enjoy spending time with you, Ms. Weasley." He then placed a gentle kiss on the pulse point of her neck.

Her euphoria at his declaration was short-lived, however; no sooner had his lips left her neck than she felt herself being pulled from his grasp and led off the dance floor. When she had gathered her bearings, she turned to find her brother, his best mate and their respective dates all glaring at her.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Ronald Weasley was livid. His face was an incredible shade of red, with the effort it was taking to keep his temper in check.

"I am dancing," she replied, equally irate, but much more in control of her temper than he was.

"I meant, what are you doing with the _ferret_?" He repeated his question, as if to clarify.

"I. Am. Dancing!" Her eyes turned to slits, as she wrenched her hand from her brother's grasp.

"Why are you here with _him_ and what are you wearing?" Ron's face contorted as if he smelled something unpleasant.

"Draco is my date," Ginny replied, glancing towards an unusually silent Malfoy, with a charming smile on her face. Her date returned her smile with an answering smirk.

"As for what I'm wearing, it's called a gown. I can understand your confusion, given the attire of your present company," she said, sending a pointed glare towards Tracey Davis, Harry's date for the evening. She was wearing a garish, red gown with an inappropriately high split and a daringly plunging neckline.

"If you will excuse me, I must return to my date." Ginny had turned to return to Draco's side when her arm was grabbed again.

"Why are you doing this, Ginny? Is it to get back at Harry? I understand you're hurt, but _Malfoy_?"

"This has nothing to do with Harry, _Ronald_. Harry made his choice and I've made mine. The way you're behaving, people might think you care. But you and I both know that's not the case, otherwise you would have tried contacting me at some point during these last three months." Ron had the good sense to look ashamed but that didn't stop his mouth from uttering his next words.

"Is he paying you? Because the way you're hanging on him, you look like a high-priced call girl." During the exchange, Ron had pulled her close by the wrist that had the bracelet on it. When his eye caught the expensive trinket, he let out a low growl and unconsciously gripped her wrist even tighter.

"Ouch! Ron! Stop! You're hurting me!"

At Ginny's words, a strong arm gripped Ron's and a deep voice spoke from behind him. "That is enough, Mr. Weasley. I must ask that you release Ms. Weasley's arm or be forcibly removed from the premises."

Ginny never heard Ron's reply as she was pulled into a hard chest and a comforting embrace. As she got her breathing under control and clutched her bruised wrist to her chest, she heard Draco speak.

"Are you alright? Does it hurt?"

Looking into his eyes, she saw concern reflected there with just a bit of underlying rage. It was clear to Ginny that he wanted to be the one dealing with Ron, but felt that it was more important to be with Ginny. His sincerity and care gave her a warm feeling.

"It's just a bruise. It will heal," she whispered.

"Here, let me look at it. Let's go and get that healed properly." Draco's tone was caring as he started guiding her towards the main doors of the ballroom.

"But what about Ron?" Ginny asked pointed and pointed towards the two men who were currently arguing with her brother and his friends.

"Let Urquhart and Higgs handle it. That's what they get paid to do," he replied absently, as he led her down a more brightly lit corridor. "Ah, this will do," he continued. "Let's see what we can do about that wrist."

As Draco healed her wrist with his wand, Ginny observed the man before her. He had matured. She thought he would have relished throwing their budding relationship in her brother's face, but instead he had stood back to let her handle it, knowing that she could. He only intervened when her safety was threatened and even then, he had taken her to safety and left others to handle the aggressive bits. This new information, coupled with what she had observed during her time with MNZ, was painting an appealing picture of this new Draco Malfoy.

"You have private security?" Ginny asked, with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"Only for public appearances," Draco answered with an amused smirk on his lips. "Remember, people still don't like me very much. I'm the big, bad Malfoy heir. There, all better." Ginny looked at her wrist and was pleased to see that the angry outlines of Ron's fingers that were starting to form were now gone.

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. You are such a gentleman. A regular knight in shining armour," She joked.

"A dark knight, perhaps," he returned, placing a delicate kiss on her wrist. "Now, do you want to go back inside, or has the interruption ruined your evening and you would prefer I take you home?"

Ginny looked up at his face and could not find it in herself to leave. She wasn't ready for the night to end, and knowing that there were two very large men on Draco's payroll ensuring her security, she felt safer about being in the ballroom with an irate Ron and Harry.

With a beaming smile, Ginny answered Draco's question with, "More dancing please!"

Draco's sunny smile and rumbling chuckle were a picture of perfection that Ginny felt privileged to witness. He replied, "Good. Shall we?" As they made their way back into the ballroom, Ginny thought her own contented smile would need to be chiselled off her face.

* * *

It was well after midnight before Draco and Ginny left the Ministry Gala. The music was wonderful, the drinks kept flowing, and they danced and talked for hours. Ginny vaguely remembered being worried about what she and Draco would talk about. In reality, they spoke of anything and everything. No topic was out of bounds. Ginny found that Draco had a cutting wit, and a brilliant, dry sense of humour, much like her own. They shared ideas and observations they made in the ballroom while Draco twirled her to the music.

As he walked her to her door, Ginny couldn't help the smile on her face. It felt like it had been there all night. With the minor exception of the encounter with Ron, Ginny's night was perfect, and even that had let Ginny see that to Draco she was the most important thing in any situation – a pleasant change to the feelings she got during outings with Harry.

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. I had a wonderful night," Ginny said, as they stood in front of her door.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you had a good night. I did, too."

"You're a very good dancer, I was impressed," Ginny said, as she stared into his eyes.

"I survived the Narcissa Malfoy School of Etiquette," Draco replied with a chuckle, as the thumbs resting on her hips made small, hypnotizing circles.

"It was a job well done. I had a wonderful time."

"You already said that."

"I guess I did," Ginny said, blushing slightly. She watched as Draco lowered his head to hers, his smoky grey eyes never leaving her chocolate brown ones.

When their lips met, Ginny felt like her entire body had been dipped in a warm bath. It was startling at first, but soothing as time passed. His lips were warm but firm, soft and comforting. The kiss was short and delicate but extremely satisfying. As first kisses went, Ginny had to admit that this was one of the best, if not _the_ best, she had ever had. His thumbs were still making their circles, her lips were tingling and his arms had pulled her closer throughout the kiss. Their embrace didn't last long, but it heated Ginny's entire body. She felt as if she had chugged an entire case of butterbeer, the heat in her body radiating from the inside out. When they broke the kiss, Ginny's eyes were clouded with desire and she could see the same thing reflected in Draco's.

"Goodnight, Ginny." Draco gave a parting farewell before leaving another small kiss on her cheek.

"Goodnight, Draco," Ginny replied, then turned and walked into the flat. She could hear Draco's footsteps as they retreated down the corridor.

Making her way through the now-darkened flat, Ginny reflected on this appealing new side to Draco Malfoy.

* * *

For pictures of Ginny's dress and jewellery, visit the link posted on my profile...

_Thanks for reading. Please review! _


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